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Did you know?Academy of Art University is America's largest private accredited art university. Classes are taught by working professionals, with 30 distinct areas of study to choose from both online and on campus in the heart of San Francisco. Learn more.

Tennessee has a lot to offer aspiring animators. The state has an active film scene, thanks to the Tennessee Film Entertainment & Music Commission, and it is home to hundreds of creative agencies and production studios. Tennessee is also home to hundreds of technology companies (one of the top five industries for animators), with more than 300 in Nashville and Memphis alone. Tennessee is also home to a large collection of schools, which is good news for animators that may be interested in teaching. The state has 109 colleges and universities to choose from as well as more than 1,800 elementary and secondary schools.

Besides job opportunities, many colleges and universities in Tennessee offer top-tier art and design programs accredited by the prestigious National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD). Students can expect a variety of program levels ranging from a Certificate to a Master's degree.

Tennessee is home to 28,860 professionals working in Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media occupations. Around 200 are multimedia artists and animators earning an average salary of $51,050 per year. In 2013, the state was home to 160 multimedia artists and animators averaging $58,060 per year. Across the nation, employment for animators and multimedia artists is expected to increase six percent for the 2012-2022 decade. The states with the highest employment levels for animators and multimedia artists are California, New York, Washington, Texas and Georgia.

The highest paying states for animators and multimedia artists are:

California ($82,170)

Washington ($75,740)

Massachusetts ($73,470)

New York ($70,660)

Idaho ($69,450)

In Tennessee and across the U.S., the industries with the highest levels of employment are:

Motion Picture and Video industries

Computer Systems Design and Related Services

Software Publishers,

Advertising, Public Relations, and Related Services

Other Information Services

‘Independent Artists, Writers, and Performers’ has the second highest concentration of employment for animators and multimedia artists, along with an impressive average annual salary of $75,150 per year. The top paying industries for animators and multimedia artists are:

Wholesale Electronic Markets and Agents and Brokers ($81,760)

Other Information Services ($80,310)

Software Publishers ($76,090)

Independent Artists, Writers, and Performers ($75,150)

Motion Picture and Video Industries ($73,950)

As mentioned, Tennessee is home to hundreds of production studios, creative agencies, computer design and information technology companies, and more. Just a few employment options include:

BOHAN, Nashville

Fivestone Studios, Nashville

FMB Advertising, Knoxville

FunnyPages Productions, Franklin

Gish, Sherwood & Friends, Nashville

GS&F, Nashville

KMT Creative Group, Chattanooga

Magnetic Dreams Animation Studio, Nashville

Morris Creative Group, Knoxville

NorthStar Studios, Nashville

PK Pictures, Nashville

Scripps Networks, Knoxville

Speak Creative, Memphis

The Buntin Group, Nashville

The Tombras Group, Knoxville

While job opportunities can be found in many cities across the state, a larger number of opportunities for animators can be found in Tennessee’s largest cities, of course. They are Memphis, Nashville, Knoxville, Chattanooga, Clarksville, and Murfreesboro. Although smaller, Franklin, Jackson, and Johnson City are worth exploring.

Tennessee Animation Training Programs

If you are ready to start training for a career in animation, consider enrolling in a program at one of the following schools:

Awesome Animation Fact: Disney's The Lion King (1994) could have sounded way different. Sean Connery was considered for the part of Mufasa, while Eddie Murphy was almost offered the role of Timon. And Nathan Lane and Ernie Sabella, the voices of Timon and Pumbaa, originally came in to read for Hyena roles. –E! Loves